In the prior art many centrifuge devices have been proposed for the separation of the various fractional components of blood. Usually these devices involve the utilization purely of centrifugal force acting on the different-mass components of blood samples. In some cases there is flow-through, employing rotating seals. However, there have been flow-through centrifuge devices without rotating seals. Such a device has been recently described for on-line plasmapheresis of whole blood, in Y. Ito, J. Suaudeau, and R. L. Bowman, Science, 189, 999, 1975.
The prior art devices are either relatively slow-acting, cause some damage to the harvested blood components, have limited capacity, or require the use of anticoagulants.
The following is a list of prior art U.S. patents pertinent to the present invention, found in a preliminary search:
Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,893 PA1 Westberg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,449 PA1 Unger, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,796 PA1 Sartory, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,197 PA1 Schlutz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,691 PA1 Jones, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,871 PA1 Kellogg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,894 PA1 Judson, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,123 PA1 Adams, U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,413 PA1 Ito, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,309